Ghosts
by Faith and KattGoddess
Summary: Joyce is dead, and Glory is trying to get the Key.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Ghosts   
Author: Faith  
Part: 1/?   
Rating: Haven't decided yet.   
Disclaimer: I own only the whacked out ideas in my head. Not Spike, but I can   
dream.   
Distribution: Send it, just let me know where it's going.   
Feedback: Of course. Babydevil1317328@aol.com or at   
spikesslaves@yahoogroups.com   
  
The graveyard had never looked as foreboding as it did that afternoon. Even   
with all the people around, it still the scared the hell outta Buffy. She was   
concentrating more on the freshly dug grave than on the words the pastor was   
saying. She caught the last phrase that was being said. Then they began   
filling the grave.   
  
Her eyes were filled with tears as the pastor concluded with:   
  
  
Earth to earth,   
Ashes to ashes,   
Dust to dust,   
The Lord bless her and keep her,   
the Lord makes his face to shine   
upon her and be gracious to her,   
the Lord lift up his countenance   
upon her and give her peace. Amen   
  
  
  
The tears gave way. Buffy rested her head on the comforting shoulder of   
Xander. The wet tears glided silently onto Xander's dress suit and soaked a   
patch of it through. She and him stood like that until everyone but the   
Scoobies had left.   
  
"Buffy, I think you'd better go home." Willow looked at her best friend with   
concern. She was really starting to worry about her. She had lost at least 10   
lbs in a week, and her normal, vibrant face was drawn and pale. Her eating   
habits had taken a turn for the worst. If Dawn weren't here...   
  
Dawn had been staring at the final resting place for her mother for over an   
hour. She hadn't cried a tear. Instead, she was mapping out the entire grave   
in her mind so she could return there that night with the flowers and potion.   
Dawn had decided that if Joyce must die, she was at least going to be   
remembered by the whole town.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
Night fell and Buffy was still at the graveyard. She hadn't moved since the   
funeral. Giles had taken care of the paying of people. Now she had nothing to   
do. She walked to a nearby cypress tree and sat down. Her mind was full of   
images of before her mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor, before the   
divorce, before the "birth" of Dawn, when it was just her and mom and dad.   
  
He still hadn't called. You'd think he'd call to check on his daughters. Just   
goes to show you...   
  
"Don't think like that Buffy." The whisper of a voice was barely audible over   
the howling of the wind.   
  
It was barely audible, but she would recognize that voice anywhere.   
  
"Mommy?"   
  
In front of her, in a white gown that may have been a dress from happier   
days, was the iridescent form of her mother. She looked happier than Buffy   
had ever seen her, and she seemed more happy and full of life.   
  
Buffy started crying and sprinted to her mother's open arms. Just as she   
reached Joyce, the figure dissappeared. But not without a few words of   
encouragement:   
  
"You can do it Buffy, baby. Take care of Dawn for me. Tell Giles thank you   
and that I love him. I love you and Dawn so much... Don't leave her alone   
Buffy. She's so precious... You are too, my darling baby. Don't cry anymore.   
Go to Dawn. She needs you."   
  
Buffy sprinted the whole way home.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
When Buffy got home, she went straight to Dawn's room. There was a note on   
her bed.   
  
Dear Buffy,   
I went out. I'll be home soon. Don't worry about me. I'm with Spike. Love   
ya.   
Lots of love,   
Dawn  



	2. Love and Hate

Title: Love and Hate   
Author: Faith   
Part: 2/?   
Rating: Haven't decided yet   
Disclaimer: I own only the whacked out ideas in my head. Not Spike, but I can   
dream.   
Distribution: Send it, just let me know where it's going.   
Feedback: Of course. babydevil131728@aol.com or spikesslaves@yahoogroups.com   
  
Dawn was becoming agitated. She had looked all over Sunnydale with Spike and   
all they had found for a spell to make the town remember Joyce was a   
reference to a "Gatekeeper" who could resurrect Joyce.   
  
Problem was he was in Boston.   
  
Dawn knew there was no way for her and Spike to get there without him   
becoming fatally sunburned. She looked over at his slumped figure. He had   
fluorescent white-blonde hair with striking cobalt blue eyes. Dawn felt she   
could lose herself in those eyes...   
  
Spike looked over and caught lil bit staring at him. "You all right lil bit?"   
he asked. She suddenly realized she was staring and colored slightly.   
  
"I'm a little tired, that's all," she replied quickly.   
  
"Maybe I should drive you back to Buffy..." he suggested hopefully. By Dawn's   
expression, he could tell that she didn't want to. "Well, what do you suggest   
we do?"   
  
Dawn looked thoughtful for a few minutes. She finally responded after a few   
moments of awkward silence.   
  
"I wanna go to Boston."   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
How dare she do this? Right after Mom's funeral? Buffy was beyond livid. All   
she could think about was the note on Dawn's bed.   
  
Don't worry about me. I'm with Spike.   
  
Don't worry? She was with an obsessed vampire who should have been staked a   
long time ago. She wasn't safe. She'd have been safer with ANGEL as ANGELOUS!   
Well, maybe that was a little bit of an exaggeration...   
  
Buffy walked into the deceptively peaceful graveyard. There were few   
bloodsuckers that were in her way, but they were easily taken care of. She   
was a women with a mission.   
  
Her destination was a desecrated crypt. The marble was cracking, and the   
plants had overrun the delicate structure. The door was securely shut.   
  
But not for long. Suddenly, with a fury only the Slayer could have, the door   
banged open and flew off the hinges.   
  
Buffy's heart fell in disappointment. The crypt was empty.   
  
Dawn and Spike weren't there.   
  



	3. Risk

Title: Risks   
Author: Faith   
Part: 3/?   
Rating: Haven't decided yet   
Disclaimer: I own only the whacked out ideas in my head. Not Spike, but I can   
dream.   
Distribution: Send it, just let me know where it's going.   
Feedback: Of course. babydevil131728@aol.com or spikesslaves@yahoogroups.com   
  
The crypt was disturbingly empty. The only sound was the sound of Buffy's   
ragged breathing. She couldn't believe it. She had been so sure that they'd   
be here.   
  
But they weren't. Nothing was in this crypt. Not even a peice of paper. Buffy   
was at a loss. Where could they be? Spike couldn't be out much longer... It   
was almost dawn.   
  
That thought had Buffy thinking about Dawn... The memories of her little   
sister were so vivd, she could almost hear her now...   
  
~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~   
  
"There is NO way that we could get to Boston without me gettin fried, Lil   
bit. I'm sorry." Spike was desperately trying to get Dawn to realize that   
this was a big risk, and that if anything happened to Dawn, and Buffy found   
out that he was involved, he'd be dead without a chance to tell her that he   
loved her.   
  
"What if there was a way? What if we could both get to Boston and back   
without Buffy knowing? I know you love her, Spike."   
  
This last bit caught him off guard. The only lot of the silly poofs that had   
a CLUE about how he felt was Joyce, but she was gone...   
  
"Think about it, Buffy would think that you're a hero if you helped bring Mom   
back to life... She'd LOVE you for it."   
  
Dawn was really hitting his soft spot. Having Buffy's love would be the best   
thing to ever happen to him. They were in front of his crypt by the time he   
answered her.   
  
"There is a way... but you have to be touched by magic to cross."   
  
"I'm the KEY for cryin out loud!!! I AM MAGIC!"   
  
"The way to get to the Gatekeeper is the Ghost Roads. We can travel them if   
we can get an opening."   
  
As the words came out of his mouth, he noticed a farmilliar figure perched in   
the doorway.   
  
"Buffy..."   



	4. Emotions

Title: Emotions   
Author: Faith   
Part: 3/?   
Rating: Haven't decided yet   
Disclaimer: I own only the whacked out ideas in my head. Not Spike, but I can   
dream.   
Distribution: Send it, just let me know where it's going.   
Feedback: Of course. babydevil131728@aol.com or spikesslaves@yahoogroups.com   
  
"Excuse me?" Buffy had been standing in the doorway, and had only listened to   
the last part of the exchange, but there was only one reason for traveling   
the Ghost Roads, and that was to see the Gatekeeper. "I know you did not just   
tell my LITTLE sister about the Ghost Roads."   
  
Spike took an unneeded breath of air. Uh-oh. "I wasn't suggestion anything.   
She was just asking about any mystical roads, and those were the on..." He   
stopped talking immediatly when he saw Buffy's expression.   
  
  
"Dawn," she said with carefully practiced patience, "go into Spike's crypt   
and stay inside till I say." Dawn looked like she was about to say something,   
but abruptly stopped at Buffy's expression. As soon as Dawn was out of   
hearing range, Buffy looked at Spike and gave him a nice hard punch to the   
jaw.   
  
She could hear the nice sound of flesh meeting flesh. She was immensly   
pleased to see blood trickling down his chin.   
  
"What the bloody hell was that for?" Spike looked up at her in suprise. "What   
the hell did I do now that deserved that lovely punch in the face?"   
  
Buffy looked at him in silence. She looked at his pale features in the early   
dawn. She had to admit that he looked good in the duster he was wearing.   
Underneath the signature duster was a black shirt that perfectly fitted to   
his muscular chest. She couldn't help but think what his chest would look   
like without the shirt. Her cheeks flamed with color. She looked down at the   
floor.   
  
"Somethin wrong Slayer?" She looked up at the sudden worry in his voice.   
  
"Stay away from my sister. If you even THINK of opening a portal to a Ghost   
Road and bug the Gatekeeper, which I may remind you, you and Dru TORTURED for   
a few months, I'll stake you myself like I should've done." With that, she   
turned and marched into the crypt. "Dawn, we're getting out of here."   
  
"But, but..." Dawn was sputtering. "I don't want to leave!"   
  
I can't believe this. She was getting annoyed. Too much was happening, and   
Angel was supposed to be down to help out for a while, and now SPIKE was   
saying, Let's get on the Ghost Roads to see I guy who will probably stake me.   
  
"I don't care what you want little girl," Buffy's temper was flaring. But   
Dawn's reply came as a shock.   
  
"I'm older than you Buffy, so don't call me little." Dawn was sneering now.   
"I will do what I want." With that, she ran out of the crypt.   
  
"Dawn!" Buffy called after her. The distress in her voice was not unnoticed.   
  
"She'll come back, Slayer." Spike whispered comfortingly in her ear.   
  
He was thanked with a punch to the jaw. She then walked out of the crypt   
after her sister.   
````````````````````````````````````````()()()()()()()()()````````````````````   
  
  



	5. The Dark

Title: The Dark   
Author: Faith  
Part: 5/?   
Rating: Haven't decided yet.   
Disclaimer: I own only the whacked out ideas in my head. Not Spike, but I can   
dream.   
Distribution: Send it, just let me know where it's going.   
Feedback: Of course. Babydevil1317328@aol.com or at   
spikesslaves@yahoogroups.com   
  
Dawn was stumbling around in the early morning gloom. The sun was starting to   
rise, and the sky was lit in beautiful shades of pink, blue, and yellow.   
Those were her mother's favorite colors.   
  
She stood in the middle of the street and gazed at the sky. She had been   
standing there for maybe ten minutes when she heard footsteps behind her.   
  
"Go away Buffy" Dawn started to turn around to face her sister when she saw   
Glory. "Uh... you're not Buffy." She turned and ran.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Buffy was turning the corner as Glory grabbed Dawn. She saw this and was   
starting toward her in a blind panic and didn't see the Chevy Blazer speeding   
toward her. The car hit her, and before her world faded to black, she saw a   
glimpse of Dawn's hair and heard Glory's triumphant laughter. Then the lights   
dimmed...   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Later that night, as Buffy was recovering in the hospital, an eclipse covered   
the moon. That morning, the sun didn't rise.   
  



	6. Premonition of Doom

Title: Premonition of Doom   
Author: Faith   
Part: 6/10   
Rating: PG-13 for series   
Disclaimer: I own only the whacked out ideas in my head. Not Spike, but I can   
dream.   
Distribution: Send it, just let me know where it's going.   
Feedback: Of course. Babydevil1317328@aol.com or at   
spikesslaves@yahoogroups.com   
  
While Buffy was in the hospital for a few days, she had a premonition. It was   
so realistic that not even her Slayer senses could take her out of it. While   
the Slayerettes were searching for Dawn, worrying about Buffy, and wondering   
what Glory was planning, Buffy was fighting an internal battle with the   
inevitable. On the other side of town, Dawn awaited her fate...   
  
The dream............   
  
Buffy was running through Sunnydale during the day, only it wasn't day, as   
the sun wasn't up. As soon as she reached Revello Drive, Buffy picked up the   
pace. She sprinted down the street to her house. Her Slayer senses were   
telling her something was up.   
  
She knocked down the door only to find that the members of the Scooby gang   
where mindless. Glory had gotten to them. As she frantically searched the   
house for the telephone, Dawn stepped into view.   
  
"You didn't help me. You didn't care enough for me. You only care about   
yourself!! You made Angel and Riley leave, and you let Mom DIE!!!" At Dawn's   
harsh words, Buffy started to approach her sister to explain.   
  
Only, it wasn't her sister anymore. As quickly as you blink, Dawn disappeared   
and left Glory in her wake. "You can't save her now, Buffy, she's already   
unlocking the portal!" Glory laughed and disappeared.   
  
With that, the floor started to quake and the powers of hell were unleashed   
upon Sunnydale.   
  
Demon upon demon came after her. Everyone she had killed, and those she had   
gotten rid of. In the middle of the hell fire was Faith. The ex-Slayer had   
never looked as gorgeous as she did now. Behind her was Angel and Riley.   
  
Behind her was Glory. The next thing she knew, Dawn was in front of her,   
stabbing her mercilessly with a sword.   
  
Out of the corner of her eye, something lunged to tear Dawn off of her.   
  
"NOOOOO!"   
  
Buffy awoke in the hospital with a start. She was suprised that Spike was   
there. He was reaching out to comfort her, as he had countless times before.   
  
Without thinking, she leaned into his arms. She was crying uncontrollably   
when Giles came into the room.   
  
He looked at her with a heart wrenching pity in his eyes. "Buffy, something's   
happened..." He began.   
  
Without a word, Buffy dressed as quickly as she could, to a place with so   
many sorrows, to a place she had once called home.   
  
Without Giles speaking, she knew what she would find.   
  



	7. Confrontation

Title: Confrontation   
Author: Faith   
Part: 7/10   
Rating: PG-13 for series   
Disclaimer: I own only the whacked out ideas in my head. Not Spike, but I can   
dream.   
Distribution: Send it, just let me know where it's going.   
Feedback: Of course. Babydevil1317328@aol.com or at   
spikesslaves@yahoogroups.com   
  
As Buffy turned the corner to get on Revello Drive, she had the sudden   
feeling she was being followed. She turned around to see the disgruntled face   
of Spike. What the hell was he doing here? Does he not understand that now   
was not the time to be asking her out.   
  
"Buffy?" Spike walked up to the indignant Slayer and, when he was sure she   
wasn't going to stake his sorry arse, he resumed. "I was just wonderin'..."   
  
"No Spike. I will not go out with you for the last freaking time! Dawn is in   
trouble and..."   
  
"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Buffy's expressive blue eyes   
showed suprise and confusion. Good, he thought. "I WAS going to ask you if   
you were okay, but nevermind. I see how you treat the one who saved your   
fucking life AND stayed at your bedside till you woke. But then again, you   
probably didn't see me. You never see me," Spike added bitterly. Now that he   
had gotten that off his chest, he turned to leave. The sound of Buffy's   
hesitant voice stopped him in his tracks.   
  
"Would you, uh, mind helping me?" She looked very self conscious, and her   
chin tilted upwards in a vulnerable expression.   
  
Without another word, he slipped his arm around her and started up the drive   
to Buffy's house. At the door, they heard the ominous roar of hell fire   
  



	8. Into the Hell Fire

Title: Into the Hell Fire   
Author: Faith   
Part: 8/10   
Rating: PG-13 for series   
Disclaimer: I own only the whacked out ideas in my head. Not Spike, but I can   
dream.   
Distribution: Send it, just let me know where it's going.   
Feedback: Of course. Babydevil1317328@aol.com or at   
spikesslaves@yahoogroups.com   
  
As Buffy and Spike walked up the steps to what used to a place of solitude,   
what Buffy had seen in her vision had become a reality. Glory was in there   
waiting for her to open the door to see her sister getting ready to open the   
gates of hell. What she didn't expect to see was the vampire walking next to   
her, helping her up the steps.   
  
As Glory watched, Dawn was summoning up the Fire of the Past. She had altered   
it to show Buffy her mistakes. But she added a little suprise for her big   
sis. She was really bringing the people here!! Dawn had been practicing   
witchcraft since Glory had captured her and told her of her powers. Now, she   
was as experienced as Willow in the short two or three days she had been with   
Glory.   
  
She heard steps on the walk and said the last of the spell...   
  
  
What was gone,   
Shall now be found,   
Bring the Slayer's foes to town!!!   
Bring them in a deadly flame,   
Let here remember the things always!!!   
  
  
  
With the spell in effect, Dawn went into the cover of the shadows.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3333~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Buffy was out of breath by the time her and Spike had reached the top of the   
stairs. She pushed open the door to a familliar setting. The inside of the   
house was ablaze.   
  
Beside her, she heard the vampire take a sharp, unneeded breath into his dead   
and blackend lungs. "Mind telling me what's going on?"   
  
Buffy looked at him with mock innocence. "Dawn's gonna take Glory home." She   
stated this with a simple ease like it was nothing, but her stomach was tied   
up in knots.   
  
She heard a hiss behind her and abruptly went into Slayer mode as she turned   
around.   
  
Nothing was there. Except there was a frantic cry in the next room. She   
sprinted to the door to find that it was locked.   
  
She knocked down the door only to find that the members of the Scooby gang   
where mindless. Glory had gotten to them. As she frantically searched the   
house for the telephone, Dawn stepped into view.   
  
"You didn't help me. You didn't care enough for me. You only care about   
yourself!! You made Angel and Riley leave, and you let Mom DIE!!!" At Dawn's   
harsh words, Buffy started to approach her sister to explain.   
  
Only, it wasn't her sister anymore. As quickly as you blink, Dawn disappeared   
and left Glory in her wake. "You can't save her now, Buffy, she's already   
unlocking the portal!" Glory laughed and disappeared.   
  
With that, the floor started to quake and the powers of hell were unleashed   
upon Sunnydale.   
  
Demon upon demon came after her. Everyone she had killed, and those she had   
gotten rid of. In the middle of the hell fire was Faith. The ex-Slayer had   
never looked as gorgeous as she did now. Behind her was Angel and Riley.   
  
Behind her was Glory. The next thing she knew, Dawn was in front of her,   
stabbing her mercilessly with a sword.   
  
Out of the corner of her eye, something lunged to tear Dawn off of her.   
  
"NOOOOO!"   
  
She knew that all of this was going to happen, but it still didn't stop the   
shock of everything.   
  
She could feel the stab of the sword in her stomach, and saw the person who   
was trying to get Dawn off of her. Her heart lurched in suprise.   
  
Spike, Faith, Angel, and Riley where putting all of their strength to pull   
Dawn off of the Slayer.   
  
"NOOOOOOOO!!!" Buffy screamed again. "Don't hurt her."   
  
Angel looked at her like she was stupid. But he did as she requested and   
didn't hurt her, he knocked her out.   
  
"We need to get her to emergency," she heard Spike and Riley say at the same   
time.   
  
She didn't want to go to the emergency room again. She started to get up.   
Immediately, Faith was at her side.   
  
"B, don't move." She said this in a calm soothing voice, but she knew that   
Faith was as angry as Buffy was hurt.   
  
This thought suprised Buffy. Instinctively, she knew this. She guessed it was   
the bond that her and Faith had shared. With this knowledge, she whispered   
into Faith's ear.   
  
"I need to get Glory back for this." she said. "Will you help me?"   
  
The ex-Slayer smiled. "That's my girl. Of course I'll help. I owe it to you   
after all."   
  
Buffy struggled to get up, but Faith pulled her up in one swift, graceful   
movement.   
  
To the others, she said, "The gates been open. Watch Dawn, me and Faith are   
going to kill Glory." When they all glanced at her with looks of suprise and   
Spike's look of "Are you an idiot?" her and the other Slayer walked up to the   
newly formed portal in the family room. Buffy had noticed it when Dawn was   
trying to kill her.   
  
I'll get you for trying to turn my sister against me, Buffy vowed silently.   
She looked at the other Slayer, her old loves, her new flame, (I ought to do   
something about that. Maybe I'll ask Spike out... He HAS changed...), and her   
mindless friends. She suddenly knew that if she killed Glory, everyone she   
stole their sanity from will be free from the curse she put on them.   
  
She looked at them all, taking in every last feature. She walked over to   
Angel, even though the wound was bleeding profusely, and kissed him. She   
kissed Riley, and she kissed Spike. In Spike's ear, she whispered, "I love   
you." Finally, she turned to the unconcious heap of her sister on the floor.   
"I'll get you back. I promise." She kissed her on the forehead, and with a   
gaze to Angel, which told him her feelings for him, her love, she nodded.   
  
He nodded his head in understanding. In the corner of his eyes, unshed tears   
began to pile. One fell. He didn't wipe it away.   
  
She looked at Faith, smiled, nodded, and jumped into the portal to hell.   
Faith was right behind her.   
  
But unbeknowest to them, Spike jumped into the portal right behind them...   
  
  



	9. The Final Battle

Title: The Final Battle   
Author: Faith   
Part: 9/10   
Rating: PG-13 for series   
Disclaimer: I own only the whacked out ideas in my head. Not Spike, but I can   
dream.   
Distribution: Send it, just let me know where it's going.   
Feedback: Of course. Babydevil1317328@aol.com or at   
spikesslaves@yahoogroups.com   
  
As soon as Buffy and Faith stepped through, they felt a sudden temperature   
change. Immedialtely Faith peeled off the black strapless shirt to reveal a   
six pack and a lacy black bra. She turned to see B doing the same. Only, it   
was less attractive.   
  
Under the finely shaped stomach were bloody wounds from Dawn's attack on her.   
Her bra was white. It was a sports bra.   
  
Behind Faith was Spike, just staring at the two Slayers. They where topless   
and in HELL. Spike was liking this.   
  
Suddenly he heard a voice. "Spike, what are you doing here?" It was Buffy.   
  
He replied, "Watchin your backs."   
  
Faith sent Buffy a look that said Oh brother.   
  
Buffy was about to comment, but was suddenly on her feet. Above her was   
Glory. She looked magnificent in the hellish flames. Her blonde hair was a   
fiery red, her black dress an even deeper black. Her eyes held a merciless   
glitter. She looked on over to Faith. With the wave of her hand, she sent a   
flame that trapped her.   
  
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" Glory was livid. "I try to LEAVE your world and you   
follow me into MINE?!? Oh well, you would've been here in a few minutes   
anyway." With this, the ground above them started to shake.   
  
"B!! Move outta the way!!!" Faith rushed through the flames that had engulfed   
her. She moved with unhumanly like grace and swiftness. She reached Buffy   
within a few seconds. She pushed her outta the way and the boulder that would   
have crushed Buffy fell on Faith instead.   
  
"FAITH!!!"   
  
She turned to Glory, an expression of pure hatred on her face, and punched   
her in the face.   
  
Glory was about to strike Buffy when she started to spasm. "NO! Not now you   
idiot! NOT NOW!!" Within a few minutes, Glory's ghostly beauty had   
transformed into the manly form of Ben.   
  
"Ben?" The look on Buffy's face was a classic look of confusion.   
  
Ben looked and felt disoriented. He looked around in utter confusion. This   
place looked vaguely familliar. Suddenly, with a jolt of remorse. He was   
home. He let out a groan.   
  
Ben started to panic. He had to stop Glory's destruction. He looked around in   
a blind panic. Finaly, he saw Buffy's confused face. He also saw Spike   
tending to a boulder with writhing person underneath.   
  
He saw his sister's destruction and knew he had to stop it. And there was   
only way to do that.   
  
"Buffy, you gotta stop Glory." he panted. The heat was destroying the human   
components of the host.   
  
"What are you doin here?" Buffy's beautiful face was a mask of confusion.   
"How do I stop Glory?"   
  
"Kill me." He stated this simply, as if it where a very simple thing.   
  
Buffy was incredulous. "WHAT?"   
  
In a rush, Ben sent everything of his and Glory's life's to Buffy's mind. She   
staggered back in shock. "Kill me."   
  
Buffy shook her head, and Ben realized she couldn't do it. Behind her, Faith   
and Spike had gotten the boulder off of her.   
  
Faith wobbled over to where Buffy and Ben where. She withdrew a knife. "If   
you can't, I will." With that, she stabbed Ben in the heart.   
  
She stabbed him repeatedly until he finally shuddered and lay still.   
  
Buffy watched in horrid fascination. Finally, she realized what had happened   
and rushed to Ben's side. It was too late. He was dead.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--------@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
In Buffy's house, Dawn's unconcious form began to shimmer. A shining ball of   
pure energy floated out of the girl's still form. Angel turned just in time   
to see the light disappear. The next thing he knew, Buffy, Faith, and Spike   
where flying out of the portal. All of them looked bad except for his Childe.   
  
"Are you okay?" He wanted to rush to Buffy, but he couldn't leave Dawn.   
Finally, his love for Buffy overcame his worry for Dawn.   
  
"She's alright Peaches." Faith answered. Faith looked like she had just been   
to hell, which she had. She was burned, and her entire left side looked   
caved-in.   
  
Buffy was crying silently. She looked like she was in shock.   
  
"We won." She was whispering it like it would save her.   
  
"Let's get these three," he motioned to Dawn, "to emergency."   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~333~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
In the other room of the Summers' household, the Scooby gang had fainted.   
Now, they where getting up and walking around like they had just woken up   
from a coma. They didn't remember anything.   
  
Only Tara was the only one who remembered anything. She knew that she would   
never be the same.   



	10. Amends

Title: Amends   
Author: Faith   
Part: 10/10   
Rating: PG-13 for series   
Disclaimer: I own only the whacked out ideas in my head. Not Spike, but I can   
dream.   
Distribution: Send it, just let me know where it's going.   
Feedback: Of course. Babydevil1317328@aol.com or at   
spikesslaves@yahoogroups.com   
  
In the hospital, Buffy and Faith were rcovering remarkably. Dawn, on the   
other hand, was in a coma.   
  
As the Scoobies surrounded Dawn in her hospital bed, Spike and Angel were in   
the Slayer's hospital room. Spike near Buffy's bedside again, and Angel near   
Faith's. As the Slayers' were resting, Angle and his Childe were talking.   
  
"You love her?" Angel stated this not as a question, but as a fact. He looked   
his Childe in the face, and saw hints of emotion that as Angelous, he would   
have beaten Spike for. He knew his face mirrored that of his Childe's.   
  
Spike peered at Angel through heavy lids and nodded in consent. He knew that   
he would have been beaten had Angel not had his soul. He took a closer look   
at the man he had come to known as his father. He saw hints of emotion that   
he had seen before, but only when he had looked at Buffy. He glanced down at   
Faith's peaceful form and saw the object of his Sire's affection. He let out   
a low chuckle. Angel glanced at him and chuckled along with his Childe.   
  
"You know," Spike began, "that Buffy will not take this thing lying down."   
  
"She has no choice." With that statement, the humor was gone from Angel's   
face. "Spike, I want to..."   
  
Spike cut him off. "I know. You don't need to embarress me in front of her,   
do ya?" He took a hard look at Angel, and silently rebuked himself. "I   
forgive you, you big poof. Now let us never speak of this again."   
  
He turned to look at Buffy and stroke her hair. Angel looked at Faith with a   
half smile on his face. He knew William would do Buffy really good, and he   
had been forgiven by one of the three people who he had made lives a living   
hell. But it was too late to make amends with Darla...   
  
His train of thought was interrupted by Faith and Buffy's simultanieos   
groaning.The two Slayer's looked at the vampire's above their bedsides. They   
looked at eachother, nodded, and grabbed the vamps by the side of the head   
and kissed them square on the lips.   
  
Spike was taken aback by this sudden display of affection. Buffy broke the   
kiss, looked at him with her expressive blue eyes,and softly said "Forgive   
me?" He looked down at her, nodded, and kissed her lightly on the lips.   
  
Suddenly, she remebered Dawn. She broke the kiss and leaped out of the bed.   
"Where's Dawn's room?" she exclaimed. She saw Angel and Faith break lip lock   
and Faith quickly joined her by the door.   
  
"420" was the reply the two confused vamp gave them.   
  
Quickly, the two Slayers ran out of the room to see Dawn.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
In Dawn's room, Tara gazed down at the still form, staring helplessly at the   
girl's unmoving body. She knew she had to help. Buffy had already lost her   
mom, Tara wasn't about to let her lose her sister.   
  
Ever since she had awaken from the catonic state that her, Willow, Anya, and   
Xander had been in, she had felt a new power inside of herself that she felt   
could help Dawn.   
  
"Willow?" Tara called softly to her lover. "Can you take everyone out of the   
room so I can have a few minutes with Dawn? I was thinking that we can all   
get something to eat, but I don't want to leave Dawn alone..."   
  
Willow gazed up at Tara, her red hair glowing brightly under the flourescent   
lights, and nodded her consent. She turned to the others, her brave face on,   
and smiled brightly. "Who's hungry?"   
  
Xander and Anya both threw their hands up, but Xander quickly put his down.   
"Who's gonna watch Dawn?"   
  
Tara meekly raised her hand. With that, Xander walked out the door, followed   
closely by Anya. Willow turned to Tara and tentatively asked, "You want   
anything?" When she nodded her head no, Willow left.   
  
Tara watched her leave. A single tear ran down her cheek. She didn't want to   
hurt Willow, so she had to this alone. She bent down and touched the sleeping   
girl's forehead tenderly. Then, she repeated an incantation.   
  
  
Illnes comes and illness goes,   
Unto healthy heroes and healthy foes,   
Let this girl's fate rest with me,   
Let me sleep as long as she.   
  
  
  
Suddenly, the room filled with an eerie bright light. Before the spell could   
take effect, she wrote a couple sentences on a peice of paper.   
Then, as if there was a vaccum in the room, Tara felt Dawn's catonic state   
lift and settle in her. She smiled briefly as her world turned black.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
Buffy and Faith rushed into the room as Tara slumped foreward. Faith saw this   
and hit the emergency buzzer that was attached to the wall in Dawn's room.   
  
Buffy kneeled over Dawn's bed. She was watching her sister wake up from a   
sleep that the doctor's thought would kill her. They were wrong. She hadn't   
seen Tara slump foreward or the peice of paper on the nightstand near Dawn's   
bed. All Buffy was concentrating on was her sister.   
  
Buffy had been informed of Dawn's progress daily while they had been in the   
hospital. But now her sister was waking up, and the gang was alright, and...   
  
She saw Tara's lifeless form on the floor next to Dawn's bed. She also saw   
the paper on the stand.   
  
It read:   
  
Dear Will,   
I am so sorry. I love you, but I had to do this for Buffy and Dawn.   
Please don't cry. I promise to come back to you.   
  
Love always,   
Tara   
  
Buffy stood staring back and forth between Tara and the note. Suddenly, she   
heard a scream. She looked behind her to see Willow.   
  
So much for her wishful thinking.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%~~~~~~~~~~~~   
Faith and Buffy stood in the little apartment that Giles called home. Buffy   
was making sure that Dawn was okay, then she was going to Spike's crypt,   
where her and Faith were staying with Spike and Angel.   
  
Buffy sat down. Faith sat next to her.   
  
"Uh, B?" Faith looked around the place uncomfortably. "I just wanted to say   
that I am sorry for everything. Riley, trying to kill you, killing the deputy   
mayor..." She trailed off.   
  
Buffy looked at Faith. The other Slayer was crying. She leaned over and gave   
her a big hug. "It's alright, don't cry. I forgive you. It was all a   
mistake..." Buffy was still soothing Faith when Dawn walked in.   
  
"Buffy?" Dawn took a deep breath and started. "I'm sorry for helping Glory   
and trying to bring the world to an end and saying all those mean things   
about you and conjuring up Faith, Angel, and Riley and lending my strength to   
Glory when you guys were fighting. I'm sorry."   
  
With that said, she walked over to her sister, who was still trying to   
comfort Faith, and sat down on the other side of her. Instantly, Buffy put   
her arm around her and Dawn started crying. Now Buffy had two people to   
comfort.   
  
She smiled with the thought.   
~~~~~~~~~()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()~~~   
  
  
~~~~~   
After accepting both her sister and Faith's apoligies, Buffy made her own.   
After things were set right, Buffy tucked Dawn in and left with Faith in tow.   
  
They headed to the crypt in companionable silence.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~********************************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
Willow sat in the hospital room where Tara was taking up residence. She was   
stroking the soft honey-blonde hair on Tara's head. She was also whispering   
how sorry she was.   
  
Suddenly, Tara's eye's opened and she let out a soft moan. She looked at   
Willow with a happy smile. "Told you I wouldn't leave you."   
  
Willow burst out in tears and threw her arms around Tara, whispering how much   
she loved her and how sorry she was that she had been brought into this.   
  
"This isn't your fault Will," Tara began softly. "I wanted to do this.   
Forgive me?"   
  
"Only if you forgive me." Willow stubbornly replied.   
  
Tara smiled at the sight of Willow and the relief on her face. "I forgive   
you."   
  
"And I forgive you." With that, Willow knelt down and kissed Tara on the   
lips.   
*******************~~~~~~~~~~~~**********************~~~~~~~~~~~******   
Everyone slept peacefully that night, knowing that everyone had forgiven   
everyone. Buffy lay curled up against Spike's handsome chest and knew   
everything was as it was supposed to be. She looked over at Angel and Faith,   
each asleep with a look of contentment on their faces. She would have to ask   
Will to put a binding spell on Angel's soul in the morning...   
  
But that was far away. She settled into Spike's cold embrace and fell asleep   
with a smile on her face.   
  
  



End file.
